Variable-speed mechanism.



Patented Dec. l6, I902.

w. A. woon. VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

(Application filed Sept, 10, 1902.)

3 Sheets-8heat I.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR No. 715,922. Patented Dec. l6, I902.

w. A-. woun. VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

(Application filed Sept. 10, 1902.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

a Q RN Q (No Model.)

, WITNESSES.

ATTOREEY No. 7l5, 922. V Patented Dec. l6, I902.

- W. A. W000.

VARIABLE SPEED MECHANISM.

1 A licatio med sa 't. 10,1902.) (No Model.)

' 3Sheets-Shaet 3.

5 5 of Fig.4.

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOD, OF 'ANSONIA, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEORGE HILLARD BENJAMIN, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

VARIABLE-SPEED MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,922, dated December 16, 1902.

Application filed September 10 1902. Serial No. 122,823. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ansonia, county of New Haven, State ism for transmitting motion at different rates,

of speed from a driving member moving ata uniform rate of speed, and more specifically consists of an improved form of such mechanism, together with means for starting, stopping, and reversing the same, both automatically and manually, especially applicable to engine-lathes.

The best form of mechanism at present known to me which embodies my invention is illustrated in the accompanying three sheets of drawings, in whicl 1 Figure 1 is a front; view of a portion of a lathe to which my invention has been applied. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on irregular line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa similar section on irregular line 3 3 of Fig.1. front elevation of the bed of the. machine. Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section on line Fig. 6 is a similar detail section on line 6 6 of Fig; 4. Fig. 7 is a detail view of the gear-wheel 41 with cross-section of slotted shaft and key.- Fig. 8 is a detail of a portion of the reversing mechanism. Figs. 9 and 10 are details of the reversing-gears and collars.

Throughout the drawings similar numerals indicate corresponding parts. 7

The lathe to which my invention has been applied, as shown in the drawings, has the usual bed 1, head-stock 2, spindle 3, conepulley 4, gears 5 and 6, with which the backgears 7 and 8, mounted on shaft 9, engage when manipulated by the handle 10, which will not need further description.

Mounted on the left-hand end offthe spindle 3 and arranged to rotate with the spindle through the instrumentality of a spline 12is a collar 11, provided with a circumferential groove, as shown. Secured to the right-hand side of this collar is a gear 13. (See Figs. 1 and 9.) Mounted upon a stud-shaft 17, pro- Fig. 4 is ajecting to the left from the head-stock, is a similar collar 16 and gear 15. This collar and gear are free to revolve around the studshaft 17. The collars 11 and 16 are each provided with a pin 24 24, which under the action of springs 25 25 are pressed forward to the right.

Mounted loosely upon the spindle 3 and upon the stud-shaft 17 are the gears 26 .and 27. These gears are in mesh at all times and have formed in their faces opposite to the pins 24 24 the grooves 28 28. (See Fig. 10.) The gears 13 15 on the collars ll 16 do not intermesh directly; but mounted loosely upon an adjacent stud-shaft projecting to the left from the head-stock (see Fig. 2) is an idlergear 14, which at all times is in mesh with the gears 13 15.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the collar 11 is shown as thrown to the right. Consequently the pin 24 engages the slot 28 of the gear 26. When the parts are in this position, the direction of movement of the gearing will be such that with the connections shown the feed-screw 65 (Figs. 4 and 5) will rotate in the same direction as the cone-pulley 4; but when the collar 16. is thrown inward (to the right) and the collar 11 outward (to the left, see Fig. 9) the rotation of the feed-screw will So be in the reverse direction. The mechanism by reason of which movement is imparted to the collars 11 and 16.will hereinafter be described.

Mounted loosely upon a fixed shaft 32, secured to the head-stock, are the three differ ent-sized gears 29, 30, and 31. (See Fig. 1.) These gears may be formed of a solid piece or as single gears secured together. The largest of these gears 29 is permanently in mesh with the gear 27 on the stud-shaft 17.

Depending from the shaft'32 is a hanger 34. A similar hanger 34 depends from a short shaft 33, secured to the head-stock.

Mounted in the lower portion of the hang- 5 ers 34 34 is the shaft 35. The extremities of the hangers 34 34 are held rigidly together by means of the screw-rod 38. These hangers have projecting portions 70 70", and at the extreme outer ends of such projecting ICO portions are the angle-plates 71. (Best shown in Fig. 2.)

Mounted loosely on the left-hand end of the shaft 35 are the three gears 39, 40, and 41. These gears are respectively in mesh with the gears 29, 30, and 31, before described, which revolve on the stud-shaft 32. The gears 39, 40, and 41 have a slot or keyway 42 formed in their hubs adapted to receive the head of a key 37. The shaft 35 is slotted at 43 to permit the passage of this key 37, which is connected to a sliding handle 36, normally held in engagement with the seat 42 by a spring 36.

It will be seen by reference to Fig. 5 that by means of the key 37 either one of the gears 39 4O 41 may be fixed upon the shaft 35. In Fig. 5 the gear 41 is shown as so fixed. It

is evident that by shifting the key 37 into engagement with the three different gears 39 40 41 three difierent speeds may be imparted to the shaft 35.

Mounted on the shaft 35 and keyed thereto is the gear 45, in mesh with the gear 46, which is keyed to the shaft 47, which shaft is journaled in the projections 70 70 from the hangers 34 34. This shaft 47 has a slot extending nearly the entire length of it, as best shown in Fig. 5, and on said shaft is mounted the gear 48, which by means of a key 48, moving in the aforementioned slot, is compelled to rotate with the shaft 47, although capable of sliding endwise thereon.

A lever 49, having a forked lower end, is mounted in a groove on the hub of the gear 48, so as to move therewith in the sliding movement lengthwise of the shaft 47, but not to revolve therewith. The forked lower end of this lever 49 engages the hub 50 (see Fig. 1) of the handle 52, which handle by means of its hub 50 slides endwise upon the rod or shaft 51, which is mounted in the sliding pieces 53 53. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 5.) These sliding pieces 53 53 slide horizontally and transversely of the bed of the machine on the studs 54 54, and the shaft 51 when so shifted back and forth moves in the slots 55, formed by cut-away portions in each of the projections 70 of the hangers 34 34, inclosed by'plates 71, thereby swinging hangers 34 34.

Mounted in brackets 56 and 56, which are clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is the shaft 57, upon which are keyed the set of conegears 58, as also the pinion 59 and the gear 60. (Best shown in Fig. 5.) The pinion 59 meshes with the gear 61, and the gear 60 meshes with the pinion 62, said gear 61 and pinion 62 being loosely journaled on an extension of the lead-screw 65. Between the gear 61 and pinion 62 is mounted the double clutch 63, which is adapted to take into the face 61 on the hub of the gear 61 or into the clutchface 62 on the hub of the pinion 62. This clutch (53 is of course provided with a sliding key or other means for causing it to rotate with the lead-screw 65, but permitting endwise motion thereon. The handle 64 is journaled to the clutch 63 and projects outwardly through the slot 66 (see Fig. 4) in the front casing of the lathe-bed. This slot has notches 66 66 at either end, into which the handle 64 may drop, and so hold the clutch in engagement with either the gear 61 or the pinion 62.

It is evident from the foregoing description that motion of the handle 52 in and out will cause motion of the shaft 51 and consequent swinging of the hangers 34 34, so as to cause engagement or disengagement between the gear 48 and whichever one of the cone-gears 58 is opposite thereto. It is equally evident that after disengagement of the above-described gears a sliding motion of the handle 52 lengthwise of the machine and lengthwise of the shaft 51 will slide the gear 48 along the shaft 47, so as to cause it to come opposite any one of the cone of gears 58, and thereby upon rengagement with the opposite gear produce a variation in speed of the motion transmitted to the lead-screw, according to the ratio of the diameters of the gears engaged. To permit of this sliding of the gear 48 during disengagement and to prevent it during engagement with the gears, I provide the slot 77 in the front casing of the bed of the machine with a series of notches 78, (see Fig. 4,) in one or another of which the handle 52 must rest when drawn out into the position shown in Fig. 3. The handle 52, however, is provided with the notch 79, which comes in line with said casing 75 when the gears are out of engagement, as shown in Fig. 2. The notch 79 then permits the sliding of the handle and gear 48 in the manner above described.

In order to hold the gear 48 in engagement with whatever cone-gear is opposite it, I provide the under edge of the handle 52 with a series of teeth 80, which take into a ledge 81, formed on the lower side of the opening 77. To hold the handle down into such engagement, I provide the swinging plate 82, hinged to the wall 75 at the corners 83 83. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) This plateis manipulated by means of the handle 82. The shaft 87, Figs. 2 and 6, is journaled in the supporting-frame of the machine and projects through the end there of, Fig. 1. A crank 88 on the shaft is connected by rod 23, Figs. 1 and 8, to a threearmed reversing-lever 22, pivoted at 20 in the housing 21 of the reversing-gearing. The arms 19 19 of the reversing-lever 22 have pins 18 18 mounted therein, which engage the grooves in collars 11 and 16, heretofore described.

It will be observed thatwhen the reversinglever 22 is actuated by the movement of the shaft 87, transmitted through the crank 88 and rod 23, the collars 11 and 16 will be moved in opposite directions. For instance, when the crank 88 is moved downward the collar 11 will be moved outward and the collar 16 inward, also if the rod 23 is moved half-way the collars 11 and 16 may be brought into line one above the other. Thus the collars 11 and 16 are capable of three positions, as follows: position one, as shown in Fig. 1; position two, with the collars in line; position three, with the collar 11 moved outward to the left and the collar 16 moved inward to the right, Fig. 9. It will be understood that when the collar 11 is in the position shown in Fig. 1 2. e., in the first position-the direction of movement of the feed-screw will correspond to that of the cone-pulley 4, that when the collars 11 and 16 are in line-4L. a, the second positionthere will be no movement of the feed-screw, and that when the collar 16 is moved inward1l. (2., the third positionthe direction of movement of the feed-screw will be reversed. Movement of the shaft 87 to effeet the requisite movements of the reversing levers and collars l1 and 16 for stopping or reversing the feed-screw may be effected by any suitable mechanism, actuated by hand or automatically. As shown in the drawings, there are four separate instrumentalities for stopping the feed-screw and two for reversing it and the gearing which drives it. The first two stopping mechanisms involve stopping the feed-screw without separating the cone-gear 58 from mesh with the gear 48.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, there is shown mounted on the shaft 87 a crank-arm 99, arranged at right angles to the crank 88. To the upper end of this crank-arm is pivoted a link 100, which is also pivoted at its opposite end to a crank-arm 101, secured on the left-hand end of a shaft 102, mounted in brackets 103 on the front of the lathe. Movement may be transmitted to the shaft 87 through the hand-lever 104. The crank-arm 98, it will be seen, is arranged at one hundred and eighty degrees from the crank 99. By moving the hand-lever 104 in or out movement may be transmitted to the shaft 87 and through it to the reversing-lever 22 either to throw the collars 11 and 16 to the stop position or into the reversing position, as desired. This is the first stopping and reversing mechanism.

The second stopping and reversing mechanism is designed to be automatically operated in its stop action by the tool-carriage. (Not shown.) I It comprises the stop'rod 93, on which stops, such as 93, may be adjusted. This rod has a pin 94, which engages a slot 107, Fig. 6, in onearm of the bell-crank 95, which is pivoted to the frame at 96. The other arm of the bell-crank is connected by link 97 to the before-mentioned crank-arm 98 on shaft 87. A full reciprocation of rod 93 will reverse the gear. A half reciprocation will stop the gear.

The third stopping mechanism consists of the double-faced clutch When this is placed in the mid-position, (shown in Fig. 5,) no motion is transmitted to the lead-screw.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that when the handle 52 is allowed to slide to the left to its inmost position, Fig. 2, the gearwheel 48 is withdrawn from mesh with any one, even the largest, of the cone of gears 58, whereas when said handle 52 is pulled out to the right, Fig. 3, the said gear 48 is thrown into mesh with whichever one of the conegears 58 happens to be opposite. Accordingly a release of the handle 52 from a position of engagement of the gears, such as shown in Fig. 3, will evidently stop the transmission of motion to the feed-screw 65. This is the fourth stopping mechanism. If said handle is allowed to go to its inmost position, Fig. 2, to which it is drawn by the action of gravitation in pulling the hangers 34 34*, their extensions 70, and the shafts and gearing carried by them into their normal position of suspension from the shafts 32 and 33, a shifting of the reverse-lever 22 into the stop position will be produced and all motion of the main transmitting-gear will also be stopped in the manner now to be described. The shaft 87 is provided with a bellcrank having arms 86 and 92. (Shown in Fig. 2.) These crank-arms are each preferably provided at their extremities with antifriction-rollers, as shown. These rollers are in line with the projection or extension 70 from the hanger 34 and cooperate therewith. Said shaft 87 is also provided with a flange 89, which has three V-shaped notches 89 89 89 formed therein. The spring 90, fastened at one end to the frame of the machine, carries at the other end a V-shaped projection 90 adapted to engage these notches 89 89 89, and thereby hold the shaft 87 in one of the three positions which correspond to the three positions of the reverse-lever 22, before described. On the application of turning force to the shaft 87, however, snflicient to overcome the power of the spring 90 the said shaft will be rotated and the changes in the reverse-lever positions before described will be produced. If the shaft 87 is in the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the reverse-lever 22 will be in the second or stop position and no motion will be transmitted to the gears 26 and 27. When said shaft 87 is in this position, the friction rollers on both the bellcrank arms 86 and 92 are 'struck by the projection 70, as shown in Fig. 2; butif the notch 89 were engaged by the spring projection 90, which would mean that the gearing was in the first position, the swinging down of the project-ion 70 would evidently cause it to strike the roller on the end of the bell-crank arm 92 and by the action of its inclined edge force that arm down and swing the shaft 87 into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which is the stop position. Similarly, if the spring projection 9O were in engagement with the notch 89, which would mean that the shaft 87 wasin the position which throws the reverse-lever 22 and the transmitting-gears into the third posi tion, which causes a reverse rotation of the lead-screw 65, it is evident that the downward swing of the projection 70 would cause it to strike the roller on the end of the bell-crank arm 86 and again force the shaft 87 into the ICO mid-position, (shown in Figs. 2 and 3,) which would, as before described, throw the gearing into the second position or stop position. It is thus evident that a releasing of the handle 52 from a position in which the teeth 80 engage the ledge 81 will allow the force of gravity to swing the gear 48 out of mesh with the cone-gears 58, and thereby immediately stop the rotation of the feed-screw, and that further swinging of the gear 48 will throw the reversing-gear into the mid-position and also stop rotation of the main transmissiongear. This is a third stopping mechanism for such main transmission-gear.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise instrumentalities described in connection with the swinging gear 48 and its carrying-frame for stopping the movement of the main transmitting-gear, as it is evident that various other mechanical devices actuated by the swinging movement of the frame may be made to accomplish the same result.

The mode of operation of my invention is as follows: The gearing being in the first position, (shown in Fig. 1,) motion will be transmitted from the spindle 3 through the gears 26 27 29 31 41, shaft 35, gears 45 46, shaft 47, gear 48, cone-gear 58, (if the gear 48 is in the position shown in Fig. 5,) pinion 59, gear 61, and clutch 63 to the lead-screw 65 if the clutch-handle 64 be in the position shown in Fig. 4. This will cause the lead-screw to revolve in the same direction as the spindle 3 and at a speed determined by the ratios of the diameters of the intervening gears. During the operation of the lathe or other machine to which my gear is attached it may become desirable to do one or more of three things-4L. e., first, to stop the transmission of motion to the feed-screw; second, to reverse the motion so transmitted; third, to change the speed of motion so transmitted. These things may be accomplished as follows: First, to stop the transmission of motion, the handlever 104, Fig. 4, may be moved into its central position, or the stop-rod 93, Figs. 4 and 6, may be slid into its central position, either of these movements throwing the shaft 87 into the mid-position (shown in Figs. 2 and 3) and stopping transmission of motion to the main transmission-gear, all as before described. Consequently gears 13, 14, and 15, Fig. 2, will rotate idly; but no further motion of the parts will occur. Again, if the locking-plate 82 be lifted and the handle 52 so released be lifted from disengagement with the ledge 81 and moved inwardly the gear 48 will be swung away from engagement with the opposite cone-gear 58 and again the lead-screw will be stopped, though rotation of the main transmission-gear will continue. If, however, said handle 52 be allowed to go to its inmost position, Fig. 2, the swinging frame will have struck one or the other of the bell-crank arms 86 or 92 and forced the shaft 87 into the midposition shown, thereby producing the resultant effect on the reversing-gear before de-' scribed. Second, to reverse the direction of rotation either the lever 104 or the rod 93 is moved from one extreme position to the other. This throws the reverse-lever 22 from one extreme position to the other, and whichever one of the pins 24 is in engagement with one of the gears 26 or 27 is withdrawn from such engagement and the other pin 24 forced into engagement with the other of said gears. This reverses the motion of gear 27, and consequently that of the whole transmitting train of gears. Third, to change the speed I may throw in the back gears 7 and 8, or slide the key 37 in or out, or shift the position of the gear 48, or throw the clutch 63 from one extreme position to the other, or do all or some of these things. To shift the gear 48, I must first release the handle 52 and allow the frame carrying the gear 48 to swing down into its lowermost position, (shown in Fig. 2,) so that notch 79 in the handle will come in line with the wall of the front casing and so release said handle from control of whatever one of the notches 78 previously engaged it. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the handle 52 can he slid lengthwise of the bed of the machine, carrying with it, through the agency of the forked lever 49, the gear 48. When the gear 48 has been moved opposite to the proper one of the cone-gears 58, the handle 52 is pulled out into the position shown in Fig. 3 and locked by dropping the plate 82. By throwing the lever 104 in one or the other direction the feed-screw 65 will then again be thrown into motion in one direction or the other. There being nine of the cone-gears 58 shown in the drawings, it is evident that, including the back gears, the number of possible combinations of gearing and the resultant variations in speed with the mechanism illustrated is represented by the equation 2 X 9 x 3 X 2:108. In practice, of course, the clutch 63 would be used for stopping the machine when the operator was at that end of it and the lever 104 when the operator was nearer the other end of the machine. The rod 93 would be used for causing the machine to automatically stop itself, and the handle 52 would only be used to vary the speed by shifting the gear 48.

The advantages of my invention comprise the wide variety of speeds obtainable, the dispensing with all removable change-gears or stud-gears, the ease of manipulation, the com pact stowing away of the greater portion of the gearing within the frame of the machine, and the automatic action of the stop motion upon the main transmitting-gearing when the sliding gear 48 is disengaged and swung down, whereby it is made impossible to cause a rengagement of the gear 48 with the cone-gears 58 while the gear 48 is in motion. Thus the possibility of breaking or stripping the gear-teeth is avoided.

It is evident, of course, that changes might iOO be made in the details of construction shown without necessarily departing from my infore-mentioned slots in the frame, a main supportingframe and guides thereon along which the last-mentioned shaft may have a lateral movement in the plane in which the swinging frame oscillates.

2. The combination ofaswingingframeprovided with slots therein, a rotating shaft journaled in said frame,agear-wheel mounted and sliding on said shaft but rotating therewith, cooperating mechanism with which said gearwheel may engage, a shaft engaging the before-mentioned slots in the frame, a main supporting frame and guides thereon along which the last-mentioned shaft may have a lateral movement in the plane in which the swinging frame oscillates,together with handoperated means for producing such lateral movement of the last-mentioned shaft.

3. The combination of aswinging frame provided with slots therein, a rotating shaft journaled in said frame, a gear-Wheel mounted and sliding on said shaft but rotating therewith, cooperating mechanism with which said gear-wheel may engage, a shaft engaging the before-mentioned slots in the frame, a main supporting-frame and guides thereon along which the last-mentioned shaft may have a lateral movement in the plane in which the swinging frame oscillates, together with a handle sliding on and lengthwise of said lastmentioned shaft, and connecting mechanism between said handle and the sliding gearwheel.

4. The combination of a swinging frame provided with slots therein, a rotating shaft j ournaled in said frame, a gear-wheel mounted and sliding on said shaft but rotating therewith, cooperatingmechanism with which said gear-wheel may engage, a shaft engaging the before-mentioned slots in the frame, a main supporting-frame and guides thereon along which thedast-mentioned shaft may have a lateral movement in the plane in which the swinging frame oscillates, together with handoperated means for producing such lateral movement of the last-mentioned shaft, comprising a handle mounted on a hub sliding on and lengthwise of said shaft, and a forked lever journaled on the sliding gear and havingits forked end in engagement with the hub of the handle.

5. The combination ofaswinging frame provided with slots, a rotating shaft journaled in said frame, a gear-wheel mounted and sliding on said shaft but rotating therewith, a shaft engaging the slots in the swinging frame,

a main supporting-frame and guides thereon along which the last-mentioned shaft may have a lateral movement in the plane in which the swinging frame oscillates, together with a second rotatable shaft, and a cone of gears fixed to said rotatable shaft and located opposite to the various possible positions of said sliding gear.

6. The combination of the cone of gears, a sliding driving-gear adapted to engage any .one of the cone of gears, a pinion and a gear at either end of the cone of gears and rotating therewith, a lead-screw shaft, a gear and a pinion sleeved on said shaft and permanently meshing with the before-described pinion and gear which rotate with the cone of gears, and a clutch mounted on said leadscrew shaft and capable of alternately engaging the gear or pinion sleeved thereon.

7. The combination'of the shaft 87, the bell-crank mounted thereon and provided with an tifriction-rollers at its extremities, and the swinging frame cooperating therewith.

S. The combination of the shaft 87, the bell-crank mounted thereon and provided with antifriction-rollers at its extremities, and the swinging frame cooperatin g therewith, together with yielding locking means for holding shaft 87 in several different positions;

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM ALEXANDER WOOD.

Witnesses:

ERNEST TAYLOR, EDWARD 0. WHEELER. 

